FLOYD, JUDAH & RAHEEM WERE BEST OF ’96 TEAM
Oakland, CA-With the 1996 Olympic Trials taking place at the Henry Kaiser Convention Center here, I was afforded the opportunity to watch the cream of the crop vie for a spot on the Atlanta team. While people like manager extraordinaire Shelly Finkel and many others were salivating over Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Zab Judah, the kid that caught my eye was another skinny African-American kid named Zahir Raheem. Fighting at bantamweight (119 lbs.), I saw things in Zahir that I thought would make him a boxing superstar.
RAHEEM WOULD TREAD RING WATER FOR YEARS
Although not winning a medal in the bomb plagued Atlanta games, Zahir yet would visit all the big promoters. When Bob Arum’s Top Rank inked the “Z-Man” to a promotional pact, I figured he would develop well with Bruce Trampler making his matches. However a “disconnection” occurred between fighter and matchmaker as “Z” was steadily put in with fighters of a much lower stature. While that is the chosen path for heavyweights, fighting “ham & eggers” is no way to ascend the rankings of boxing’s lighter weight classes. In essence, Zahir was treading water instead of swimming upstream.
INKS PACT WITH MILLS “LET’S GET IT ON” LANE!
While he awaited his contract with Arum to run out, Zahir said he felt powerless. Not a good position for a kid who at 25 years old had been forgotten by the cold world that is professional boxing. In 2001, Zahir would ink a deal with “Let’s Get It On Boxing,” a promotional entity put together by Tony Holden and Mills Lane.
FROM NORTH PHILLY TO VEGAS TO TULSA TO VEGAS!
Moving to Tulsa, OK, there were still questions about Zahir. Could he really get focused enough to make it to the upper echelon of the squared circle? People in the biz wondered if there was a pilot light; let a lone a fire burning in the belly of Raheem? Did I overrate him? He remained unbeaten with Holden, who took over after Mills Lane, referee, star of Judge Mills Lane, a former referee, and my former TV broadcast partner had suffered a debilitating stroke in 2002.
JUAREZ FIGHT WAS EMBARRASING FOR TEXAS BOXING!
Unable to get “Z” in the right fights, Holden was frustrated at the political wall he faced with Raheem. Tony secured a fight in 2004 with 2000 Olympic Silver Medallist Rocky Juarez. In one of the most obvious signs of bias and unprofessional acts in boxing history, Texas referee Robert Gonzalez did all he could to deprive Zahir of an opportunity to fight. In actuality, the referee did everything but punch Zahir for Houston’s Juarez. When Holden released Zahir, he once more signed a pact with Bob Arum’s Top Rank.
THE REALITY OF BEING BLACK AND NOT MARKETABLE!
With no fan base or following, Zahir was again the odd man out at Top Rank. He had been signed with the intent of being an opponent for Erik Morales, as the Mexican was building towards a January 2006 rematch with Manny Pacquiao. With Zahir facing Erik in the main, Pacquiao would have an easier mark in Hector Velazquez.
BEATING ERIK PUTS “Z” BACK ON SHELF!
After 12 rounds there was no doubt who deserved to win this bout. 118-110, 116-112, & 115-113, the winner across the board was the now 27-1 Zahir Raheem. It would take nine years of professional uncertainty, but “Z” had finally won a “big” fight. Wearing a royal robe, in addition to a crown, and dubbed the “king of boxing,” Zahir had let everybody know that he was the real deal! There would be no rematch, no Pacquiao fight. Instead, “Z” finds himself in the role of being the “opponent” again.
CAN RAHEEM WALK OVER “HOT COALS” AGAIN?
On Saturday night, Zahir Raheem will again test his ability to walk on boxing’s hot coals. In a test of heart, will, and pugilistic soul, Raheem will engage the capable strongman from Brazil, Acelino Freitas. At 37-1, Freitas is about a 3-1 favorite. To me this is a surprise, but it seems that the odds wizards think that “Z’s” slapping around of Morales last September was a fluke!
FREITAS HAS POWER EDGE & “Z” MAKES WEIGHT EASY!
I believe the strength of Acelino Freitas is his upper body strength. He will want to rough up “Z” from the get-go, wanting to get Raheem out of there early. With weight woes, Freitas will be close to 152 lbs. Saturday night after weighing in Friday afternoon. This is what presents the problem for Raheem. Will he be able to “pot shot” Acelino from the outside? Having watched Freitas get discouraged in his lone loss, Diego Corrales proved that he is indeed “breakable.”
ZAHIR MUST MAKE “PO-PO” SWIM SOME LAPS!
I think Zahir needs to take Freitas a lot of rounds, or go the distance to win. The flipside to that is that Freitas will be looking for an early exit and KO. This is the boxer vs. the puncher, or the classic match up in boxing that either man can win. As is the case in most pugilistic contests, the man that imposes his will on the other, will prevail. That being said, I’m pulling for “Z” to box circles around the onrushing Brazilian.
